The disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copy machine, and a facsimile, and an image forming unit used for the image forming apparatus.
In an image forming apparatus using the electrophotography, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of a photoconductor drum, and is developed by a developer held on the surface of a developing roller. The developer is supplied to the developing roller by a supply roller. The supply roller is a roller (such as a sponge roller) in which a conductive foam layer is formed on the surface of a shaft made of metal or the like. The supply roller is disposed to be in contact with the surface of the developing roller.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-148664.